Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-07-25
EATEN ALIVE BY AN ALLIGATOR.
The Terrible Fate of a Georgian II Gnter in
Dark swamps by Oketiuokee

I y
/ respondent, "and l have seen q great
many strange things while hunting there,
but the most terrible ordeal of my life
was passed in that swamp on the occasion
of nay last alligator hunt, which IS now
over thirty yesrs ago. OSefnokee swamp
is very large tract or waste, which eX-
tends over considerable portion e
Southern Georgia and part Of Florida
The swamp is IN great many
places very dense, gu. mere aud there in
the very densest part you viii find Clear
iugs thst extend perhaps 100 yards
square. These cIesriuss are not discern
sble until you are right close TO them, as
the underground snd the oyershsdowing
trees make it impossible to see far ahead
of you Such CIeGrings are frequently
covered with mud and water foot deep,
and sometimes in the center you tnd-if
you are uuluCky enough 10 try 70 wade
through it-hOles more ike large wells
These holes are not more than ten or ff-
teen Yards wide, and sre oftel so deep
that il is impossible to isthOm them,
so that death is inevitable when
ever person happens 10
get into one of them. Such holes are all
the more delusiye since they do not show
their depth on the surface, nor do they
have anything TO deLOte their existence.
Oke hnokee swamp ab0undS in allIgstOrs,
and l was one Of party bent upon ALI
gator hunting one day in the early spring
of 1867 n some parts Of the swamp i.
is possible 10 row boat for many miles
before you have 20 20 on foot, aud on the
Oc 58siOn referred TO we went Is far as
possible in our boat, getting 10 3 point
no. far from the Florida line and pro
ceeiing on foot There were four
in our party, negro TO row the boat, f.
sn Engishmsn named DuttCn and
friend Of his VINO hsd only arrived
short time BEFORE. Dutton wss q clever
fellow, generous to q fau'c, sDd e splendid
m3rk5msu. During his stay with rae ~
had been on many hunts and in many
tight places. and 40 matter how great the
danger he never lost mis- presence Of
mind. In order TO kill an alligator with
g rife it IS necessary TO pierce its eyes,
ami I never saw DuttOn miss but once.
Wleu we landed Dutt0n went in front,
ais friend relr him, them came the old
negro, and ! closed up the resr. We
travelled on for about two miles Wlen ne
swamp became 30 dense It seemed We
could not 90 much further, and sss I. was
getting late in the evening we
called malt and determined
to % back 90 our boat before might
caught US il the swamp we We're all
ready 10 go except DUltOa, who had gone
on some distance 6hesd Of Us and was out
OF sight told the Old darby to hu.rv
ahead and tell him TO return, Snd he had
Isl started in obedience 10 my command
waea the blood in nv veins was chilled
ay an swful Shrek for help. II 1 live for
DO wears / snail never forget tina. cry
IL seemed 10 come from the direction =
the right OF US q direction which none
Of u had gore, and which DGtlOu could
only have taken by turning away from r1c
line we had decided TO travel when we
started out. As Tie last uO.c ct that cry
died away the old dGrky, VIC
had started away 20 GO our 1-Gd,Gg,
Sc .m-d psTstyZcd, and became 80 weak
be could hardly stand. The only words
could hear from ais half-Opened lips, IS
rushed past him in the direction OF the
CRY, were 'I1~ no use 90 90 after MIN.
master it's no use
"Dgtton's friend followed me quickly
aud we had not gone more tlGn @. yards
wlen q sight met nv eyes the Ike Of
which / would rather undergo death than
20 egaiu encounter. Ia an open space in
fr4g- ~ mo was what arDes-tI 10 he @
rns-s1y sira-c1 Is looked ike ft- bottom
was rfgbt on the surface ami
uo1Id nav aft4untad 10 wade scrose Fl /
yyf.1o1+ hesitation exceu- for the s.e1t
before me. In the midst of this marsnv
lake WAS Dg.ton STRUGGLING rs II win /.
sl-ne invisible mower t1s- was DRAWING
MIN t1y,ryysrl IL was ONLY pm instant
nnrfr 7 afsc.rDeJ what il was that was
5rsws1a INV friend into this gwfu. tran .
Of death Around his body. cooled in f.
.Ickaninr masses. were re1t,ies Of ererg
dpscrfDti9n. with wlic1 OErt-akre .
SWAMP as6uDds. and his cries were .
nft-oUs When we frs. sew hin ne .
was al ina edge Of the hole. but BIZ the
fine We reached the scene the reptiles +
had prreI MIN. s.rugg,f1r s. Re vas
into the center. and TO reach him wtt1su.
the assistance of g pole was impossible. /
I looked ground me, but could no. see
ANYTHING that could pCssfgIc reach /.
ON Am m. drowning man The space for F.
100 wards was As clear IS could be. T.'
was craving dark. which added l1r-.- t1 .
fbe scene. and every moment Dutleu was .
being drawn lower into the bottymless .
nil. hsIlooet t. MIN and am0IgreF MIN .
10 make desperate effort to come nearer